


Bedtime Stories on the Jet

by Imagining_in_the_Margins



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Love Confessions, Other, Self-Insert, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, the jet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2020-06-04
Packaged: 2021-03-03 18:47:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24530287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Imagining_in_the_Margins/pseuds/Imagining_in_the_Margins
Summary: Spencer and you share the jet couch.
Relationships: Spencer Reid/Reader
Comments: 3
Kudos: 170





	Bedtime Stories on the Jet

You would think that since the BAU is willing to spend thousands of dollars on each jet trip, the least they could do was run the heater. But no, we have to take a trip out on a freezing runway just to climb into a freezing jet.

But I had a secret. Hidden in the giant tote bag that everyone made fun of me for carrying was the softest, warmest blanket that can be bought.

As I entered the cabin I thought about the one thing that can’t be bought, however: the warmth of a friend. Not to mention the extra adrenaline and body heat that can result if that friend happens to be a very cute boy.

Spencer had claimed the couch quickly, unceremoniously collapsing on it without a care in the world. All he had with him was a book I’d seen him reading more than once. Although it was clearly strange, since he doesn’t need to reread anything, I never asked him about it. It seemed like the kind of thing that was too personal for coworkers. And despite my dreams, that’s all I’ve ever confirmed we were. Despite all of this, I couldn’t stop myself from what I was about to do.

“Scoot over, Dr. Reid.” He looked up at me with a playful curiosity at my use of the honorific. The joy that little smirk gave me already had my body temperature rising.

“What’s in it for me?” He was a clever boy. He knows how much I love cuddling on this couch instead of curling up in a single seat. But I’m cleverer. I started to pull the blanket from my tote with an equally playful smirk. “You aren’t the only one who can pull magical fabrics from your sleeve.”

“To be fair, you’re pulling it from a bag, which is significantly less impressive.” He corrected, smiling once again at the way I rolled my eyes. He sat up to make room for me nonetheless.

I quickly slid into the seat, continuing to pull the blanket and throwing it sloppily over him. He tried to keep up with the pile forming on his lap, but eventually gave up. “Wow. Can you even fit anything else in there?”

Instead of giving him a serous response, I took the end of the blanket and tossed it over his head. Resigned, he didn’t even try to move it. Instead, this goofy boy lifted his book in front of him and pretended like he could keep reading it.

“You’re so ridiculous,” I said through a smile. “What? I can see it,” he retorted.

“Shut up.” He did not. Instead, he cleared his throat, holding the book higher with one hand as he flipped the page.

“Purity in body and heart may please some. As for me, I make no boast. For, as you know, no master of a household has all of his utensils made of gold. Some are wood, and yet they are of use.” He sounded so proud. I didn’t even bother to check; I’m sure he was right.

I pulled the blanket down to reveal his face with no rush at all. The big goofy grin on his face nearly stopped my heart. “To be fair, you have an eidetic memory, which is…”

“It’s just as impressive, actually,” he finished. I scoffed, tossing the blanket back in his face. This time, he happily grabbed it and settled the rest over both of our laps. He just started reading again, although he was obviously taking his time. I wondered if he just did it to go through the motions, or if he was trying to relive the first time he read it somehow. Either way, I selfishly wanted to share this moment with him.

“It was nice, though.”

“What?” The demeanor has so quickly returned to what it was before. Coworkers. Did he know I was flirting with him? Probably not. Should I make it more obvious?

“Will you read to me?” That certainly shocked him. For a moment I was worried it may have been too much, too soon. Maybe he did know I was flirting with him, he just didn’t feel the same. His tongue slipped out as he bit his bottom lip, readjusting on the couch to sit up a bit straighter. Away from me.

“Uh, why… why would you want that?” He was doing that thing when he started to doubt himself, and I hated that people made him feel that way. I wasn’t blind— I saw the way people treated him. So often they told him to be quiet, stop talking, filter more. Say less. But his voice when he was excited was my favorite sound in the world.

“Well, I can’t keep up if I’m reading myself. And I don’t know about you, but I have 8 hours to fill.” I took a chance as I spoke, inching over to be closer to him. Once I felt the warmth of his thigh pressed against mine, his entire body tensed. This time he didn’t move away.

“Sure.” It was a simple, soft answer. His voice was higher pitched, and his hand almost seemed to shake under the weight of the book. I turned my head softly towards him, careful not to rest on his shoulder (no matter how badly I wanted to). It took a moment longer for him to start speaking, but my relief was immediate.

I don’t know what it is about his voice, but it reminded me of home. A safe escape from the horrible realities we traverse every day. He was so confident in what he was reading, I could tell it had been read to him before. His voice felt like it was getting farther away, but also embracing a deep part of my soul.

Soon enough, my muscles relaxed and the warmth finally came to me. My cheek felt like it was on fire compared to the rest of me. If I had dedicated any thought to it at all I would have realized my head had dropped from its precarious position and was now pressed against Spencer’s shoulder. I didn’t want to think about it. Because if I thought about it, I would make myself move, and I really, really didn’t want to. Not yet.

He kept reading without skipping a beat. So I stayed there, and the sound of a jet engine was nothing compared to the soft lullaby of Spencer’s voice.

Not that long later, movement woke me up. In the groggy, dim light of the jet I realized Spencer was moving below me. A soft sound of disapproval left my lips, but it was quickly overruled. I would realize later that he had slipped his arm out from under my resting head. I felt a little guilty, because I’m certain I had cut off the blood flow long enough for it to fall asleep. Or as Spencer would correct me, he was “experiencing transient paresthesia.” But he didn’t remove it from me entirely. Instead, he had draped it over my shoulder, pulling me closer to him just enough to make my breath catch. I happily obliged, taking the invitation to share his warmth.

I pulled the blanket higher and my hand closest to him slid down his thigh. I guess I expected him to try and stop me, but he didn’t. In fact, he almost moved into my touch. I reached my other arm over him, using the leverage to pull myself as far as I could into his chest.

The warmth that was flooding through every inch of my body was the best I’ve felt since I started this job. It felt like freedom. Like safety. Like love. That being said, it didn’t compare to the feeling that immediately followed when Spencer brought his hand to mine on his leg. He squeezed it just enough to remind me that we were both here. Together.

I didn’t even bother to wonder if he was awake. I didn’t want to know; I just wanted to feel those closeness to him in this moment. My eyelids fluttered open just enough to confirm I wasn’t dreaming, and then they were closed again. This time, I was lulled to sleep by the rhythmic stroke of his thumb on the back of my hand.

The next time my eyes opened was significantly less pleasant.

“Wakey wakey, love birds,” Derek’s voice boomed throughout the jet cabin. He was being loud on purpose. My extreme displeasure at his volume was apparent by my groan as I pulled the blanket over my head— the same blanket that was tangled up around me and Spencer.

Upon realizing this, I scrambled away from him, knocking his head with my own. “Ow— oh, God! Sorry, Spencer!” My voice was also far too loud, and I mentally slapped myself for ruining this moment so swiftly. It was unclear whether he was upset because I just head butted him, the fact we were caught in this position, or that I let us end up in this position at all. After all, I was practically on top of him.

“I wanted to move the blanket myself, but I couldn’t see your hands.” Derek held his up in teasing jazz hands. I’m glad he was having such a great time with our humiliation, considering I might have just ruined my only shot with Spencer.

Spencer’s face was a deeper shade of red than I’d ever seen, and it almost seemed like he had to tune into each part of his body separately. His hand over mine was the last to retreat. I’d never felt so cold so quickly.

The rest of the team just smiled and laughed as they walked by, but I sunk into my hands, elbows propped on my knees. I wished I could just disappear. Anything but deal with this. “God, I’m so embarrassed. I’m so sorry, Spencer.” 

He didn’t say anything until everyone else was finally gone, and he slowly collected the blanket and began to fold it half heartedly on his lap. “You don’t have anything to apologize for.” The cadence of his voice was strange. He sounded so sincere, rather than the teasing tone I expected. Maybe he was upset?

“No, I know how you are about people touching you and I should have been more self-aware. I must have made you so uncomfortable.”

I wanted to reach out to touch him again, anything to get him to look at me. He seemed so lost in his thoughts. “Yeah, I mean… you’re right, normally I don’t like people touching me.” Normally? I questioned whether or not I wanted to push it, but he didn’t make me ask.

“But I, uh, I didn’t mind when it was you.” The way he said it made my heart leap into my throat. He sounded surprised, but pleasantly so. Like it was the outcome he was hoping for but didn’t expect. I didn’t expect it, either.

“Really?” I might have sounded desperate, but I didn’t care. He suddenly became a bit nervous again, starting to shift away from me and gather his things into his bag. He continued to talk, although he was avoiding my eyes.

“Yeah it was actually really nice. I don’t think I’ve had a full nights sleep without nightmares in… a long time.” Bashful. That was the way he was acting. If I had a little more of an ego, I would say he sounded smitten. Maybe that was just wishful thinking, but I wasn’t going to let the moment slip away that easily.

“Maybe we’ll do it again sometime, then.”

He finally looked me in the eyes. He was trying to read me. For once, I let him. Spencer looked into my eyes as I lost myself in his. I wanted to scream at him. You beautiful, stupid idiot! I am flirting with you! For such a talented profiler, he missed all the signs. I guess we all do it sometimes.

“Oh, no, I’ll be fine. Don’t worry.” Something was off in his voice. I should be upset by the apparent rejection, but he sounded downright crestfallen. Thankfully, he continued, “It’s just that I… don’t want to be the reason everyone makes fun of you.” That was it? He was worried I was ashamed to be seen with him? He thought I couldn’t handle some teasing from the team?

I was the one to break the eye contact, knowing full well that I wouldn’t be able to focus the longer I looked at him. I snatched the blanket from his lap, stuffing it into my bag and allowing the ends to hang over. He was watching me carefully, waiting for me to respond to concern. It was cruel, but I wanted to leave him wondering for a moment.

Because when I finally stood and turned to face him, now towering over him with the confidence I needed, I tilted his chin up to me. “We’ll just have to do it somewhere else, then.”

Spencer had no words to return, but the look on his face was clear enough for me. He didn’t move, and when my finger slid out from under his chin, his Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed hard. Thank goodness he didn’t look like he was about to follow me, because I would not be able to keep this up for long.

With every ounce of self control I had left, I waved a hand goodbye with a hopeful farewell, “Until next time. I can’t wait.”


End file.
